Articled for 5 years from 22 Jan 1823 to Richard Smith, Attorney and Solicitor, of Smith & Rickards, Basinghall St, in co-partnership with George Rickards. Other parties to the Articles: William Tatham's mother Susanna Tatham [née Shepherd], widow, of Dorset Square, and his uncles (1) Rev. Thomas Henry Shepherd, clerk, of Claywood, Notts; (2) Henry John Shepherd, gentleman, of Bromley, Yorks; being his guardians appointed by the will of Thomas Tatham his late father deceased.

not found in 1891 census; not resid at 40 Dorset Square, only dau Lucy.

Theft of handkerchief.
Thomas Winston was indicted for stealing, on the 20th of February , a handkerchief, value 2 s., the goods of Thomas [sic] Tatham , from his person .
William Tatham. I am clerk in a solicitor's office. On the 20th of February, between seven and eight o'clock, I was in Newgate-street; an officer told me I had lost my handkerchief - I felt, and it was gone. I saw a boy running down the street, who dropped it. Another officer took him, but not in my presence. The handkerchief was brought to me.
Daniel Forrester. I was in Newgate-street with Herdsfield, and saw the prisoner and another lad following the prosecutor. I saw the prisoner put his hand in, and take the handkerchief out of his pocket. I followed him - he threw it down, and fell; he was stopped, and delivered to me. I never lost sight of him. A man gave me the handkerchief.
Charles Herdsfield. I saw the prisoner and another boy close behind the prosecutor, and saw him take the handkerchief. I secured the other, but he was discharged.
(Property produced and sworn to.)
Guilty. Aged 18. Confined Three Months .
[Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913. Case 660. 07 Apr 1824.]

At Marlborough Street Magistrates Court, William Tatham, aged 83, who it was stated was a solicitor, residing on Dorset-square, and Edward Wardman, 27, a porter, of Pimlico-road, were charged on the 3d inst. of committing an act in violation of public decency in Hyde Park on the afternoon of Sunday the 2d inst. Mr. St. John Wontner, solicitor, prosecuted, and Mr. George Lewis, solicitor, appeared for Mr. Tatham. The defendant Tatham did not answer to his bail. Mr. Lewis, addressing the magistrate, said that his client was so overwhelmed with the serious nature of the charge that had been brought against him by the police that he had disappeared. Under the circumstances he asked that the further hearing might be adjourned for a month. Mr. Wontner said that he had no objection to the case being adjourned, but he asked that if Mr. Tatham did not appear on any day to be decided on, a warrant should be issued for his apprehension. Mr. Duke, barrister, who appeared for Mr. Wardman, said his client had surrendered to his bail, and being a working man, he was, of course, anxious to have the charge inquired into without delay. Mr. Hannay ultimately adjourned the case for a week, it being understood that if Mr. Tatham does not then appear a warrant for his arrest will be issued. [The Times, 11 Feb 1890]

Mystery. An Elizabeth Tatham was married to Henry Heaviside Ball, compositor, at St John's, Walworth on 22 May 1877. She and Henry had been living together as man and wife since about 1860, and had four children by the time of their marriage (she was Henry's third wife). In the marriage register her father is named as William Tatham, lawyer[?]. In the 1861 census she is listed as Elizabeth Ball, age 30 born Finsbury. Researches by her descendants have not yet uncovered any further clues about her origins. She has not been traced in the 1841 or 1851 census, nor in any baptism register. In the absence of other suggestions, it is not impossible that she was a natural child of William Tatham, born about 1831/1832.